Trends in mortality in people with HIV from 1999 to 2020: a multi-cohort collaboration.

BACKGROUND: Mortality among people with HIV declined with the introduction of combination antiretroviral therapy. We investigated trends over time in all-cause and cause-specific mortality in people with HIV from 1999-2020. METHODS: Data were collected from the D:A:D cohort from 1999 through January 2015 and RESPOND from October 2017 through 2020. Age-standardized all-cause and cause-specific mortality rates, classified using Coding Causes of Death in HIV (CoDe), were calculated. Poisson regression models were used to assess mortality trends over time. RESULTS: Among 55716 participants followed for a median of 6 years (IQR 3-11), 5263 participants died (crude mortality rate [MR] 13.7/1000 PYFU; 95%CI 13.4-14.1). Changing patterns of mortality were observed with AIDS as the most common cause of death between 1999- 2009 (n = 952, MR 4.2/1000 PYFU; 95%CI 4.0-4.5) and non-AIDS defining malignancy (NADM) from 2010 -2020 (n = 444, MR 2.8/1000 PYFU; 95%CI 2.5-3.1). In multivariable analysis, all-cause mortality declined over time (adjusted mortality rate ratio [aMRR] 0.97 per year; 95%CI 0.96, 0.98), mostly from 1999 through 2010 (aMRR 0.96 per year; 95%CI 0.95-0.97), and with no decline shown from 2011 through 2020 (aMRR 1·00 per year; 95%CI 0·96-1·05). Mortality due all known causes except NADM also declined over the entire follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Mortality among people with HIV in the D:A:D and/or RESPOND cohorts decreased between 1999 and 2009 and was stable over the period from 2010 through 2020. The decline in mortality rates was not fully explained by improvements in immunologic-virologic status or other risk factors.

COVID-19 hospitalization outcomes in adults by HIV status; a nation-wide register-based study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the outcome of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 by HIV status and risk factors for severe COVID-19 in people living with HIV (PWH), we performed a nationwide cohort study using register data. METHODS: All people aged ≥18 years hospitalized with a primary COVID-19 diagnosis (U07.1 or U07.2) in Sweden between February 2020 and October 2021 were included. The primary outcome was severe COVID-19 [intensive care unit (ICU) admission or 90-day mortality]. Secondary outcomes were days in hospital and ICU, complications in hospital, and risk factors for severe COVID-19 in PWH. Regression analyses were performed to assess severe COVID-19 by HIV status and risk factors. RESULTS: Data from 64 815 hospitalized patients were collected, of whom 121 were PWH (0.18%). PWH were younger (p < 0.001), and larger proportions were men (p = 0.014) and migrants (p < 0.001). Almost all PWH had undetectable HIV-RNA (93%) and high CD4 T-cell counts (median = 560 cells/µL, interquartile range: 376-780). In an unadjusted model, PWH had statistically significant lower odds of severe COVID-19 compared with patients without HIV [odds ratio (OR) = 0.6, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.34-0.94], but there was no significant difference after adjusting for age and comorbidity (adjusted OR = 0.7, 95% CI: 0.43-1.26). A statistically significant lower proportion of PWH (8%, 95% CI: 5-15%) died within 90 days compared with those without HIV (16%, 95% CI: 15-16%, p = 0.024). There was no statistically significant difference in days in hospital and complications during the hospital stay between PWH and patients without HIV. CONCLUSIONS: In this nationwide study including well-treated PWH, HIV was not a risk factor in hospitalized patients for developing severe COVID-19.

Relapse of Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale Malaria With and Without Primaquine Treatment in a Nonendemic Area.

BACKGROUND: The effect of primaquine in preventing Plasmodium vivax relapses from dormant stages is well established. For Plasmodium ovale, the relapse characteristics and the use of primaquine is not as well studied. We set to evaluate the relapsing properties of these 2 species, in relation to primaquine use among imported malaria cases in a nonendemic setting. METHODS: We performed a nationwide retrospective study of malaria diagnosed in Sweden 1995-2019, by reviewing medical records of 3254 cases. All episodes of P. vivax (n = 972) and P. ovale (n = 251) were selected for analysis. RESULTS: First time relapses were reported in 80/857 (9.3%) P. vivax and 9/220 (4.1%) P. ovale episodes, respectively (P < .01). Without primaquine, the risk for relapse was higher in P. vivax, 20/60 (33.3%), compared to 3/30 (10.0%) in P. ovale (hazard ratio [HR] 3.5, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.0-12.0). In P. vivax, patients prescribed primaquine had a reduced risk of relapse compared to episodes without relapse preventing treatment, 7.1% vs 33.3% (HR 0.2, 95% CI .1-.3). In P. ovale, the effect of primaquine on the risk of relapse did not reach statistical significance, with relapses seen in 2.8% of the episodes compared to 10.0% in patients not receiving relapse preventing treatment (HR 0.3, 95% CI .1-1.1). CONCLUSIONS: The risk of relapse was considerably lower in P. ovale than in P. vivax infections indicating different relapsing features between the two species. Primaquine was effective in preventing P. vivax relapse. In P. ovale, relapse episodes were few, and the supportive evidence for primaquine remains limited.

Impact of immunosuppression and region of birth on risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia among migrants living with HIV in Sweden.

Little is known about the incidence and risk of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) grade 3, adenocarcinoma in situ and invasive cervical cancer (CIN3+) among migrants living with HIV in a European setting. We assessed the cumulative incidence (CuI) and hazard ratio (HR) of CIN2+ and CIN3+ in a cohort of women living with HIV (WLWH) (n = 893) identified from the Swedish national HIV register and HIV-negative women (n = 205,842) identified from the Swedish Population Register, matched on region of birth and age. Data was collected between 1993 and 2011 by linking our cohort with the Swedish National Cervical Screening Registry, collecting all cytological and histological results since 1993. The CuI of CIN3+ was 13.1% [95% confidence interval (CI) 8.9-17.2] for WLWH and 2.1% (95% CI 2.0-2.2) for HIV-negative after 18 years of follow-up. WLWH had more than eight times higher, age and region of birth matched, risk of CIN3+ than HIV-negative (HR 8.8: 95% CI 6.9-11.3). WLWH born in the East region, dominated by Thai women, had a two times higher risk of CIN3+ compared with WLWH born in Sweden (HR 2.47: 95% CI 1.2-5.0), which remained after adjusting for immunosuppression. Our results showed a substantially increased risk of CIN3+ among WLWH, which differed depending on birth region. Early HIV diagnosis and attendance to cervical cancer screening, with focus on migrants, is of crucial importance to minimize the incidence of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia.

Prophylaxis and treatment of HIV-1 infection in pregnancy: Swedish recommendations 2013.

Prophylaxis and treatment with antiretroviral drugs and elective caesarean section delivery have resulted in very low mother-to-child transmission of HIV during recent years. Updated general treatment guidelines and increasing knowledge about mother-to-child transmission have necessitated regular revisions of the recommendations for the prophylaxis and treatment of HIV-1 infection in pregnancy. The Swedish Reference Group for Antiviral Therapy (RAV) updated the recommendations from 2010 at an expert meeting on 11 September 2013. The most important revisions are the following: (1) ongoing efficient treatment at confirmed pregnancy may, with a few exceptions, be continued; (2) if treatment is initiated during pregnancy, the recommended first-line therapy is essentially the same as for non-pregnant women; (3) raltegravir may be added to achieve rapid reduction in HIV RNA; (4) vaginal delivery is recommended if at > 34 gestational weeks and HIV RNA is < 50 copies/ml and no obstetric contraindications exist; (5) if HIV RNA is < 50 copies/ml and delivery is at > 34 gestational weeks, intravenous zidovudine is not recommended regardless of the delivery mode; (6) if HIV RNA is > 50 copies/ml close to delivery, it is recommended that the mother should undergo a planned caesarean section, intravenous zidovudine, and oral nevirapine, and the infant should receive single-dose nevirapine at 48-72 h of age and post-exposure prophylaxis with 2 drugs; (7) if delivery is preterm at < 34 gestational weeks, a caesarean section delivery should if possible be performed, with intravenous zidovudine and oral nevirapine given to the mother, and single-dose nevirapine given to the infant at 48-72 h of age, as well as post-exposure prophylaxis with 2 additional drugs.

Risk of HIV transmission from patients on antiretroviral therapy: a position statement from the Public Health Agency of Sweden and the Swedish Reference Group for Antiviral Therapy.

The modern medical treatment of HIV with antiretroviral therapy (ART) has drastically reduced the morbidity and mortality in patients infected with this virus. ART has also been shown to reduce the transmission risk from individual patients as well as the spread of the infection at the population level. This position statement from the Public Health Agency of Sweden and the Swedish Reference Group for Antiviral Therapy is based on a workshop organized in the fall of 2012. It summarizes the latest research and knowledge on the risk of HIV transmission from patients on ART, with a focus on the risk of sexual transmission. The risk of transmission via shared injection equipment among intravenous drug users is also examined, as is the risk of mother-to-child transmission. Based on current knowledge, the risk of transmission through vaginal or anal intercourse involving the use of a condom has been judged to be minimal, provided that the person infected with HIV fulfils the criteria for effective ART. This probably also applies to unprotected intercourse, provided that no other sexually transmitted infections are present, although it is not currently possible to fully support this conclusion with direct scientific evidence. ART is judged to markedly reduce the risk of blood-borne transmission between people who share injection equipment. Finally, the risk of transmission from mother to child is very low, provided that ART is started well in advance of delivery.

Prophylaxis and treatment of HIV infection in pregnancy, Swedish guidelines 2024.

In May 2024, the Swedish Reference Group on Antiviral Therapy updated the guidelines on management of HIV infection in pregnancy. The most important recommendations and revisions were: (i) ART during pregnancy should be started as early as possible and continue after delivery; (ii) Suppressive ART should normally not be modified; (iii) The treatment target of HIV RNA <20 copies/ml remains; (iv) Dolutegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir DF is the first-line drug combination also in pregnant women and women planning pregnancy; (v) There is no evidence of an increased risk of neural tube defects associated with dolutegravir; (vi) Mode of delivery for women with effective ART and HIV RNA <200 copies/ml should follow standard obstetric procedures; (vii) Caesarean section is recommended if HIV RNA ≥200 copies/ml; (viii) Scalp electrode, foetal blood sampling and/or vacuum delivery should be used on strict indications, but does not necessitate intensified infant prophylaxis; (ix) Management and mode of delivery in case of premature or full-term rupture of membranes should follow standard obstetric procedures; (x) Recommended infant antiretroviral prophylaxis has been updated; (xi) The duration of infant antiretroviral prophylaxis (gestational age ≥35 weeks and mother on effective ART and HIV RNA <200 copies/ml) has been changed from 4 to 2 weeks; (xii) Infants born to women with HIV RNA ≥200 copies/ml should receive 4 weeks of combination prophylaxis; (xiii) Fertility evaluation and assisted reproduction should be offered to women on suppressive ART according to the same principles as for other women; (xiv) Women living with HIV should still be advised against breastfeeding; (xv) Women who nevertheless opt to breastfeed should be offered intensified support and follow-up.

Extracutaneous Kaposi sarcoma risk remains higher in people with HIV in the post-ART era.

OBJECTIVE: To assess Kaposi sarcoma (KS) by HIV-status in Sweden 1983-2017, with particular focus on extracutaneous KS. DESIGN: Population-based study linking the Total Population Registry, the Swedish HIV Registry InfCareHIV, and the Swedish Cancer Registry. METHODS: We included all Swedish residents, born in or outside Sweden between 1940 and 2000 ( n  = 8 587 829), assessing the annual incidence of KS, adjusted hazard ratios (adjHR), and odds ratios (adjOR) in the pre and postcombination antiretroviral therapy (ART) eras. RESULTS: KS was found in 324 individuals of whom 202 (62%) were people with HIV (PWH). While the incidence of KS decreased in PWH, it remained higher compared to HIV-negative at end of follow-up (28 vs. 0.09 per 100 000 person-years, P  < 0.001). In the post-ART era, PWH still had an increased risk of both cutaneous [adjHR 616, 95% confidence interval (CI) 410-926] and extracutaneous KS (adjHR 2068, 95% CI 757-5654), compared to HIV-negative individuals, although there were no cases of extracutaneous disease among virally suppressed PWH. In the post-ART era, the relative risk for KS remained higher in men, particularly men who have sex with men, and viral suppression was associated with lower odds of KS (adjOR 0.05, 95% CI 0.03-0.09). CONCLUSIONS: KS remained increased in PWH in the post-ART era, with a particularly high risk for extracutaneous disease compared to HIV-negative individuals. Notably, there were no cases of extracutaneous disease among virally suppressed PWH, suggesting a less aggressive disease in this population. Further studies on KS in virally suppressed PWH are warranted.

Cohort profile: InfCareHIV, a prospective registry-based cohort study of people with diagnosed HIV in Sweden.

PURPOSE: The Swedish InfCareHIV cohort was established in 2003 to ensure equal and effective care of people living with HIV (PLHIV) and enable long-term follow-up. InfCareHIV functions equally as a decision support system as a quality registry, ensuring up-to-date data reported in real time. PARTICIPANTS: InfCareHIV includes data on >99% of all people with diagnosed HIV in Sweden and up to now 13 029 have been included in the cohort. InfCareHIV includes data on HIV-related biomarkers and antiretroviral therapies (ART) and also on demographics, patient-reported outcome measures and patient-reported experience measures. FINDINGS TO DATE: Sweden was in 2015 the first country to reach the UNAIDS (United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS)/WHO's 90-90-90 goals. Late diagnosis of HIV infection was identified as a key problem in the Swedish HIV-epidemic, and low-level HIV viraemia while on ART associated with all-cause mortality. Increased HIV RNA load in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) despite suppression of the plasma viral load was found in 5% of PLHIV, a phenomenon referred to as 'CSF viral escape'. Dolutegravir-based treatment in PLHIV with pre-existing nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-mutations was non-inferior to protease inhibitor-based regimens. An increase of transmitted drug resistance was observed in the InfCareHIV cohort. Lower efficacy for protease inhibitors was not due to lower adherence to treatment. Incidence of type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance was high in the ageing HIV population. Despite ART, the risk of infection-related cancer as well as lung cancer was increased in PLHIV compared with HIV-negative. PLHIV were less likely successfully treated for cervical precancer and more likely to have human papillomavirus types not included in current HPV vaccines. Self-reported sexual satisfaction in PLHIV is improving and is higher in women than men. FUTURE PLANS: InfCareHIV provides a unique base to study and further improve long-term treatment outcomes, comorbidity management and health-related quality of life in people with HIV in Sweden.

CASCADE protocol: exploring current viral and host characteristics, measuring clinical and patient-reported outcomes, and understanding the lived experiences and needs of individuals with recently acquired HIV infection through a multicentre mixed-methods observational study in Europe and Canada.

INTRODUCTION: Despite the availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral therapy (ART), 21 793 people were newly diagnosed with HIV in Europe in 2019. The Concerted action on seroconversion to AIDS and death in Europe study aims to understand current drivers of the HIV epidemic; factors associated with access to, and uptake of prevention methods and ART initiation; and the experiences, needs and outcomes of people with recently acquired HIV. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This longitudinal observational study is recruiting participants aged ≥16 years with documented laboratory evidence of HIV seroconversion from clinics in Canada and six European countries. We will analyse data from medical records, self-administered questionnaires, semistructured interviews and participatory photography. We will assess temporal trends in transmitted drug resistance and viral subtype and examine outcomes following early ART initiation. We will investigate patient-reported outcomes, well-being, and experiences of, knowledge of, and attitudes to HIV preventions, including PrEP. We will analyse qualitative data thematically and triangulate quantitative and qualitative findings. As patient public involvement is central to this work, we have convened a community advisory board (CAB) comprising people living with HIV. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: All respective research ethics committees have approval for data to contribute to international collaborations. Written informed consent is required to take part. A dissemination strategy will be developed in collaboration with CAB and the scientific committee. It will include peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations and accessible summaries of findings on the study's website, social media and via community organisations.

Failure to restore CD4+ cell count associated with infection-related and noninfection-related cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To assess incidence and relative risk of cancer in Sweden, by HIV status, from 1988 to 2017. DESIGN: Population-based register study. METHODS: From the Swedish Total Population Register, all people born between 1940 and 2000 (n = 8 587 629), and resident in Sweden sometime 1983-2017 were identified and linked to National HIV Register InfCareHIV, National Cancer Register, and LISA database. We present incidence and adjusted hazard ratios (adjHR) of infection and noninfection-related cancer for three periods between 1988 and 2017. RESULTS: Incidence and relative risk of infection-related cancer decreased but remained higher in people with HIV (PWH) than in HIV-negative. The proportion attributable to infection remained higher in PWH than in HIV-negative (44 vs. 9%). Women with HIV had lower risk of infection-related cancer than men with HIV [adjusted hazard ratio (adjHR) 0.6, 95% CI 0.4-0.9], mainly driven by lower incidence of Kaposi's sarcoma (adjHR 0.1, 95% CI 0.0-0.4). Current viral suppression (adjHR 0.3, 95% CI 0.2-0.5) was associated with lower risk of infection-related cancer. Current CD4+ cell count less than 200 cells/µl was associated with both infection-related (adjHR 15.3, 95% CI 10.7-21.8) and noninfection-related cancer (adjHR 2.5, 95% CI 1.5-4.1), as was CD4+ cell count increases less than 100 cells/µl post antiretroviral therapy (ART) (infection-related cancer adjHR 6.6, 95% CI 4.2-10.6, noninfection-related cancer adjHR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2-3.3). CONCLUSION: Current CD4+ cell count and failure to restore CD4+ cell count both associated with infection and noninfection-related cancer. Viral suppression associated with lower risk of infection-related cancer. Early HIV detection and early adherent ART remain essential for cancer prevention.

Associations between HIV viremia during antiretroviral therapy and cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between HIV viremia exposure during antiretroviral therapy (ART) and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. DESIGN: Nationwide observational cohort. METHODS: Participants (age >15 years) from the Swedish nationwide InfCareHIV register initiating ART 1996-2017 were categorized in a time-updated manner into four viremia categories, starting from 12 months after ART initiation: suppression (<50 copies/ml), low-level viremia (50-199 copies/ml and 200-999 copies/ml, respectively), and high-level viremia (≥1000 copies/ml). In addition, cumulative viremia was estimated as the area under the log viral load (VL) curve. Proportional subhazard models adjusted for sex, age, pre-ART CD4 and VL, injection drug use, and country of birth were used to analyze the association between viremia exposure and CVD risk (ischemic heart disease, stroke, and heart failure; data obtained by linkage to national registers), accounting for the competing risk of non-CVD death. RESULTS: In all, 337 cases of CVD were observed during 44 937 person-years of follow-up ( n  = 6562). Higher viremia exposure was associated with CVD, both when parameterized as cumulative viremia (adjusted subhazard ratio [aSHR] per 1 log 10  copy × year/ml, 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.05) and as viremia category (aSHR for high-level viremia versus suppression, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.03-2.05). We observed no association between CVD and low-level viremia compared with those with suppression. CONCLUSIONS: Higher exposure to HIV viremia was linked to CVD in ART recipients, whereas no increased risk was detected for people with low-level viremia compared with viral suppression. Causal inference is limited by the observational nature of this study.

Employment by HIV status, mode of HIV transmission and migrant status: a nation-wide population-based study.

OBJECTIVE: To compare employment in people by HIV status, mode of HIV transmission and migrant status. DESIGN: Nation-wide population-based register data from 1996 to 2016. METHODS: All people born between 1940 and 2000 (n = 8587 629) were identified from the Swedish Total Population Register and linked to the Swedish National HIV Register (n = 9492) and Longitudinal Integration Database for Health Insurance and Labour Market Studies. Adjusted prevalence ratios (adjPR) of employment were calculated using Poisson regression. Trends in employment were illustrated in scatterplots with overlaid prediction plots. RESULTS: People with HIV were less likely employed than HIV-negative but with decreasing difference over time [adjPR 0.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.54-0.60 in 1996, adjPR 0.84, 95% CI 0.83-0.86 in 2016]. Female migrants with HIV had the highest increase of employment over time and were more likely employed than HIV-negative female migrants by end of follow-up (adjPR 1.12, 95% CI 1.08-1.16). Swedish-born with present/former intravenous drug use had the lowest employment rates. Individuals with undetectable HIV-RNA viral levels showed higher employment rates (adjPR 1.29, 95% CI 1.20-1.38) compared with those with detectable viral levels. CONCLUSION: Employment in people living with HIV (PLWH) increased over time but remained lower than for HIV-negative people. HIV was not associated with lower employment in migrants by end of follow-up, indicating that HIV is not a barrier for employment among migrants in Sweden. The heterogeneity of PLWH needs to be taken into account in interventions, and future studies, focusing on access to the labour market in PLWH.

Nonvaccine human papillomavirus genotype common in women with HIV failing cervical precancer treatment.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess failure after treatment of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+) by HIV status and human papillomavirus (HPV) type. DESIGN: A population-based register study. METHODS: The Swedish National HIV Registry, the Swedish Population Registry and the Swedish National Cervical Screening Registry were linked to identify all women in Stockholm and Gothenburg counties (Sweden) living with HIV and diagnosed with CIN2+ sometime between 1983 and 2014 (n = 179). HIV-negative controls with CIN2+, were matched (2 : 1) for country of birth. CIN2+ biopsies were retrieved from biobanks and genotyped. Absolute risk and adjusted odds ratios (adjOR) of treatment failure by HIV status given HPV type (HPV16/18 vs. non-HPV16/18) were calculated. RESULTS: HPV16 (32%) and HPV35 (24%) dominated in women living with HIV (WLWH) with failure, HPV35 mainly in women born in sub-Saharan Africa (67%). The absolute risk of failure in women with HPV16/18 was 26% [95% confidence interval (95% CI) 14-44] in WLWH and 12% in HIV-negative (95% CI 7-19). The absolute risk of failure in women with non-HPV16/18 was 20% (95% CI 12-31) in WLWH and 5% in HIV-negative (95% CI 2-11). WLWH with non-HPV16/18 were six times more likely to fail than HIV-negative (adjOR 6.1, 95% CI 2.0-18.6). CONCLUSION: HPV35, not included in current HPV vaccines, was the second most common type in WLWH with failure. WLWH with non-HPV16/18 were six times more likely to fail than HIV-negative. This could have implications for surveillance and vaccination post CIN2+ treatment, particularly in WLWH from sub-Saharan Africa.

The clinical impact of implementing GenMark ePlex blood culture panels for around-the-clock blood culture identification; a prospective observational study.

Background: Implementing rapid molecular blood culture diagnostics in the clinical management of sepsis is essential for early pathogen identification and resistance gene testing. The GenMark ePlex blood culture panels offer a broad microbial spectrum with minimal hands-on time and approximately 1.5 h to result. Therefore, ePlex can be utilized at times when the clinical microbiology laboratory is unavailable.Methods: From 23 October 2019 to 30 December 2019, consecutive non-duplicate positive blood cultures signalling microbial growth at the 24 h/7 days-a-week available clinical chemistry laboratory between 9 pm and 7 am were analysed with ePlex. All blood cultures were transported to the microbiology laboratory the following day for conventional identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing.Results: We used ePlex to test 91 blood cultures, of which 86 had confirmed microbial growth. Eighty-one were positive for ePlex target pathogens. The ePlex results were in complete agreement with conventional methods in 72/81 (88.9%) of cases and available within a median of 10.9 h earlier. Resistance gene targets (11 mecA and 1 CTX-M) were concordant with phenotypic susceptibility in all cases. In 18/86 (20.9%) of the patient cases, there was an opportunity to optimize antimicrobial therapy based on the ePlex result. The ePlex result affected clinical decision-making in 4/86 (4.7%) of the cases and reduced the average time to effective antimicrobial therapy by 8.9 h.Conclusions: Our implementation of ePlex is a feasible option to attain around-the-clock blood culture identification in many hospitals. It can significantly reduce time-to-pathogen identification and have an impact on clinical decision-making.

Antiretroviral treatment for HIV infection: Swedish recommendations 2019.

The Swedish Reference Group for Antiviral Therapy (RAV) published recommendations for the treatment of HIV infection in this journal most recently in 2017. An expert group under the guidance of RAV here provides updated recommendations. The most important updates in the present guidelines are the following: (a) The risk of HIV transmission through condomless sex from individuals with fully suppressed HIV viral load is effectively zero. (b) Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is recommended for groups with a high risk of HIV infection. (c) Since the last update, two new substances have been registered: bictegravir and doravirine. (d) Dual treatment may be an alternative in selected patients, using lamivudine + dolutegravir or lamivudine + boosted darunavir/atazanavir. As with previous publications, recommendations are evidence-graded in accordance with the Oxford Centre for Evidence Based Medicine. This document does not cover treatment of opportunistic infections and tumours.

HPV Types in Cervical Precancer by HIV Status and Birth Region: A Population-Based Register Study.

BACKGROUND: Data are lacking regarding which human papillomavirus (HPV) types cause high-grade cervical neoplasia (CIN2+) in people with HIV in Europe. We assessed which HPV types are associated with CIN2+ in women living in Sweden by HIV status. METHODS: The Swedish National HIV Registry, the Swedish Population Registry, and the Swedish National Cervical Screening Registry were linked. CIN2+ tissue blocks of 130 women living with HIV (WLWH) and 234 HIV-negative women, matched for country of birth (1:2), were retrieved from bio-banks and HPV genotyped. Adjusted ORs (adjOR), stratified by country of birth, were calculated using conditional logistic regression. Matching was broken for cross-group comparisons. RESULTS: WLWH with CIN2 were less likely to have HPV16 [14% vs. 40%; adjOR 0.1; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.04-0.56] than HIV-negative women, but among women with CIN3, there was no difference in HPV16 prevalence by HIV status (adjOR 0.9; 95% CI, 0.51-1.70). WLWH were six times more likely to have HPV35 in CIN3 than HIV-negative women (adjOR 6.2; 95% CI, 1.3-30.4). WLWH from sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) had less 9-valent vaccine types, compared with both HIV-negative women born in Sweden (adjOR 0.1; 95% CI, 0.02-0.44) and WLWH born in Sweden (adjOR 0.1; 95% CI, 0.01-0.73), mostly because of decreased HPV16 and increased HPV35. CONCLUSIONS: WLWH from SSA were less likely to be covered by the 9-valent vaccine, mostly due to less HPV16 and more HPV35. IMPACT: This could have implications for HPV vaccines, currently not including HPV35, and for HPV-screening algorithms in women with origin from SSA.

Effect of dolutegravir in combination with Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors (NRTIs) on people living with HIV who have pre-existing NRTI mutations.

Until the introduction of dolutegravir (DTG), people living with HIV (PLWH) who have developed nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) mutations have had few other treatment options outside of regimens based on ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitors (PI/r). Here we report treatment results among PLWH in Sweden with pre-existing NRTI mutations on antiretroviral treatment (ART) with DTG and one to two NRTIs. All PLWH on ART with DTG and one to two NRTIs with pre-existing NRTI mutations were retrospectively identified from the National InfCare HIV database. As controls, PLWH on PI/r and one to two NRTIs, matched according to Genotypic Susceptibility Score and observation time, were included. Data were collected as long as the study population was on treatment with DTG; controls were monitored for the same interval. Outcome was classified as either treatment success or failure. In total, 244 participants (122 individuals treated with DTG and 122 individuals treated with PI/r) were included. Median observation time was 78 weeks (interquartile range 50-98 weeks) for participants on DTG and 75 weeks (50-101 weeks) for individuals on PI/r. Viral failure was detected in four individuals treated with DTG and three individuals treated with PI/r, resulting in similar success rates of 96.7% and 97.5%, respectively. No new mutations were found among participants with treatment failure. DTG in combination with one to two NRTIs was as efficient as PI/r in individuals with pre-existing NRTI mutations in this setting. It may be considered an alternative to PI/r-based ART even in the presence of NRTI resistance.